Improvement in shells for rifled ordnance



CONN EL & HALL.

Shell.

Patented Jan; 28, 1862.

UNlTED STATns PATENT @rrres.

J. H. (JONNEL, OF NEWARK, AND JOIIX S. l'l'Alill, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

llVlPFlOl/EMENT IN SHELLS FOR RIFLED ORDNANCE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. ZMLQ BQ, dated JanuaryI28, 1862.

T0 ctZZ whom, it Wzay concern.-

.Be it known that we, JAMES M. Cowman, of Newark, in the county ofLicking and State of Ohio, and J OHN S. HALL, of Columbus, in the countyof Franklin and State aforesaid, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Explosive Projectiles for Billed Cannon; and we do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming partof this specifieation, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of afinished projectile with one half of its lead packing stripped off inorder to show the construction more plainly. Fig. 2 is asection of theprojectile loaded and ready to be put into the cannon. Fig. 3 is asimilar section, showing the other half of the projectile without theloadingmaterial andignitingmagazine. Figs. i and 5 are implements usedin filling the pro j ectile.

The same letters of reference in each of the several figures indicatecorresponding parts.

Thenature of our invention consists in a novel construction of theexterior and interior of the projectile, and also in a novelignitingmagazine combined with the same.

To enable others skilled in the arts to make and use our invention, wewill proceed to describe it with reference to the drawings.

A B represent an explosive projectile made of two hollow parts, whichare fitted together by means of a reduced extension, A, of the part A,and a circular extension-flange, B, of the part B, so that A slides inB, and a space, 0, exists between the facing heads or ends a b of thetwo parts, as shown in Figs. 2'and The part A hascireumferentially-segmental recesses or cavities D formed in it, and thepart B has angular cavities E, beveled projections. F, and a continuousbeveled edge, G, formed in and upon it circumferentially, as shown. Thetwo parts thus constructed are held together by lead packing H, which isrun round the extension A of part A, and round the flange B of the partB, and also run into the recesses and over the projections of saidparts, as illustrated in the drawings, the lead taking the form of thatpart of the projectile with which it comes in contact, as illustrated atH, Fig. 1. NVhen the lead is thus made to encircle the intermediateportion of the projectile and iill the cavities, the two parts A B aretied together by it, so as not to separate .longitudinally; but whilethis is the case the part B B is free to slide over the part A A andunder the lead packing, when the explosive action of the charge in rearof the projectile and in the cannon comes upon the spherical end of theprojectile. This approximation of the part B B to the part A A causes anex tension of the diameter of the lead, and the rifle-grooves of thecannon are filled by the lead, and the end desired-viz., a spiral motion of the projectile-is produced. The part A of the projectile has acone-point, in which a screw-plug, I, screws a short distance. Thechamber J terminates at said screw-plug in a shoulder, a, and at the endopposite to it in a shoulder, d, said shoulders serving as rests for ahollow open-ended tube, K, which is used to separate the contents ofchamber J from an igniting magazine, K, said magazine being placed inthe tube at such time as it is desired to fire the projectile from acannon. Vl ere not this tube provided. it would be difiieult to 'insertthe magazine K after the chamber J had been loaded with powder and ball.or other destructive agentssueh as sulphur, rosin, Ate-inasmuch as themagazine has closed ends, which cannot readily penetrate the masscontained in chamber J, whereas the ends O't tube K are open and anyobstructing substance in the chamber can enter it, and when the tube isin place the projectile can be turned on its cone end and the substancesin the tube discharged.

In the center of the end a of the part A A of the projectile a circularhole, f is formed, and directly in line with this hole another similarhole, g, is formed in the end I) of the part B B of the projectile, asshown. By means of these holes the chamber J of part A A communicateswith the chamber J of the part B B, as shown.

The magazine K is made cylindrical from its front end, h, to the pointh, where it abuts against the end a of the part A A of the proj ectile,and therefrom is reduced in diameter and takes a conical form, K, to itsterminus, as shown. 'The communication to the magazine K is formed bymeans of a vent and capnipple, '13, at the end it of the magazine. The

communication between the magazine and the chamber J is effected bymeans of small punct- "tile', and an explosion of the cap and of thepowder in the magazine takes place, and immediately the contents ofchambers J J become ignited and the projectile explodes with adestructive effect.

To charge the double-chambered projectile, weunserew the plug Iandinsert a funnelmouthed tube, L, through the cone end into the chamberJ, and by means of this tube conduct the powder into the chamber J.Having withdrawn the tube, we introduce a guide-rod, M, into the chamberJ, the small tenon Z thereon entering the central opening, f, and theenlargement m entering the recessed ring formed by shoulder d. WVe thencharge the chamber J with powder, and-if balls are to be introduced movethe stem of the rod to one side of the screw-plug hole, so as to makeroom for their passage. The tube K is next slipped over the rod intochamber J, its rear end finding a rest within the recess formed by theshoulder d,

and its front end in the fuse-hole c, as shown in Fig. 3. i In thiscondition, and the screwplug replaced, the projectiles are transported.\Vhen the projectiles are to be fired, the magazine K is insertedthrough the screwplug hole and the screw-plug replaced, as shown in Fig.2.

Instead of filling the chamber J first, the powder may be introduced atabout the same time that the magazine is adjusted to its place.

In molding the shells or projectiles, it may be found beneficial tobevel the shoulders s s in the manner shown by red dotted lines If t, sothat the lead packing will hug the cast metal more securely, or toprovide wrought-iron dowels r 1', as shown in red, so that the tendencyof the lead to strip shall be prevented.

It is obvious that the peculiar circumferential configuration of theprojectile at the points where the lead packing is applied serves the Itwofold purpose of enabling the lead to hold the two parts of theprojectile together longitudinally, and of preventing the lead slippinground on the projectile at the time that the spiral grooves of therifledcannon are being impressed into its circumference.

IVe do not claim under the first clause of our claim any one of theelements therein named, separately considered and used; nor do we claimunder the second clause of our claim a tube which has one or both of itsends closed and arranged other wise than herein described and shown; nordo we claim under the third clause of our claim a trail-magazine, exceptwhen combined with a double-chambered projection; nor do we claim underthe fourth .clauseof .ourclaima sliding :magazine with cap-nipple,except when combined with a hollow explosive projectile constructedsubstantially as specified; but

That we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. The explosive projectile made oftwo hollow parts, A A B B, which arefitted together so that a space, 0, exists between their facing ends aI) and the part A A, having circumferentially-segmental cavities D, andthe part .B B, having angular cavities E, beveled projections F, and abeveled continuous circumferential edge, G, and the whole beingencircled and held together by a lead packing-ring, H, in the manner andfor the purposes herein de scribed.

2. Constructing the interior of one portion of the projectile with afront and rear rest or shoulder, 0 (Z, and arranging in or against thesame an open-ended hollow tube, K, for the purpose of separating thecontents of the eham bear J from theigniting-1nagazine K, substantiallyas and for the purposes set forth.

3. In combination with the shoulders e (Z and tube K, providing acentral opening, 1', in the end a of the part A A, and a similar hole,9, in the end Z) of part B B, and arranging an igniting-magazine, K K,Within the hollow tube K and in the openings 7" g, in the manner and forthe purpose herein described.

4-. The combination of a sliding ignitingmagazine with the hollowexplosive projectile, substantially as and for the purposes hereindescribed.

\Vitness our hands and seals, in the matter of our application for apatent for an improved projectile, this 19th day of December, A. D.1861.

J. M. CONNEL. n s.] JOHN s. HALL. [n s] \Vitnesses as to signature of J.M. Coiinelz A. W rLKiNs, \VILLIAM B. A'RvnN. I'Vitnesses as to signatureof John S. Hall:

ROBT. W. FENWICK, R. L. Cones.

